Joy Watters finds Dundee Rep's production lacking much depth outside of its musical numbers.
The main problem with Chris Rattray's play, now a surly teenager, is that it is set in the lavvies. Granted, this seems to be the world HQ for the Skiving Olympics for men but there's only so much time that can be given to simulating calls of nature and a bit of banter.
It is set in a Dundee jute mill in the 1960s, and there are references to Beatlemania and the Fab Four's visit to the Caird Hall. Rattray's play shows the men in the mills of Dundee constantly in the lavvies while ``them that works the hardest,” namely the women, are toiling away unseen beyond the lavvie door. Every few minutes, the men crash into the lavvies, have a cigarette, which they casually and unrealistically toss away after two puffs in the manner of toffs, and pass the time and anything else that is required.
The saving grace of the piece is Michael Marra's songs, which give voice to the wit and wisdom of Dundee and the city's arcane sense of humour. Everything comes alive during the music but sinks back into the doldrums in between.
Director Andrew Panton seems strongest in the staging of the songs. The rest of the time, the characters come into the lavvies and adopt the same positions and habits, which makes it all rather repetitive and static. For example, Henny (Martin McBride), the nasty Teddy Boy, crashes through the door to comb his hair every few minutes. There is little in the way of characterisation and we don't learn why the men are the way they are. Why is Henny so foul? And why, when he is so clearly vain, does he not wear an overall over his Teddy Boy gear?
This production has a strong cast who are sadly wasted in a work which gives them nothing to get a grip on. The only character to get a bit of showing is Archie, the daftie played for the fourth time by John Buick. Buick plays it for all he can, getting the sympathy vote from the audience. Archie's greatest tragedy is losing his brush used for sweeping up fag ends. Archie's triumphant moment is when he tells the lads of a night out he had, but it isn't a personal account, it is an ancient dirty joke reworked.
Runs at Dundee Rep until Saturday September 29.
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